Umbrella
by dolcegrazia
Summary: They saved each other from the rain. They were each other's umbrellas. Third installment in the "Rain" trilogy.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is the third installment in the "Rain" series. You'll probably want to read the other two stories first; each one is only 5 chapters, so it's not too much reading.

This chapter is less dialogue, more text. I apologize for that. I just wanted to explain where we were in time, and all that junk.

The story title is from a Rihanna song.

* * *

Brooke could no longer sleep. She was uncomfortable, carrying around twenty extra pounds of weight, she needed to use the bathroom every ten minutes, and her unborn child was kicking and moving all of the time. Often instead of sleeping, she'd sit in the gliding rocking chair in the guest room of Lucas' house that has been turned into the nursery.

On this night, thirty weeks into her pregnancy, Brooke couldn't sleep again so she crept silently into the nursery to survey the scene. She flicked on the lights and inhaled a deep breath. Lucas, Nathan, and Keith had painted the room a light shade of pink and brought in all of the furniture. Karen had surprised Lucas and Brooke with a snow-white crib and matching dresser and changing table. Keith pitched in and bought the couple a glider for Brooke to sit in while rocking or feeding the baby.

Brooke reached into the crib and pulled out the teddy bear that sat alone among the blankets and sheets. The teenage girl slowly walked to the glider and lowered herself carefully into a seated position. Rocking back and forth, she puts her hand on her large stomach. She was almost eight months along and definitely looked pregnant. Senior year of high school had started three weeks ago, but only Lucas was physically attending school. Karen had arranged with Principal Turner that a tutor would come over and help Brooke keep up, so that when she went back to school after the baby is born, she won't be too far behind. Brooke didn't love this arrangement, but knew it was for the best.

After a few minutes of rocking peacefully to try to coax her child into sleep, Brooke notices a groggy Lucas standing in the doorway, his eyes heavy with the desire for sleep.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" Brooke asks in a whisper.

"No", Lucas replies, "the bed felt empty so I woke up to find you. I should've known you'd be here." Lucas walks into the room now and leans down in front of Brooke.

"Don't touch my stomach, Lucas Scott. She's finally stopped kicking", Brooke says, glaring at the blond boy.

"Alright then. Come back to bed?"

"In a minute."

Lucas stands up, dejected, "You really like it in here, don't you?" he asks.

Brooke attempts to stand and grabs Lucas' hand when he offers it, "Yes, I love it, Luke. It's beautiful", she says, finally standing, "Too bad we're co-sleeping."

"Co-what?"

"Co-sleeping", Brooke repeats, "I want her to sleep in our bed with us."

"What if we roll over and crush her?"

"We won't, Broody. Come on", Brooke says, leading them back to bed.

* * *

Every school day was difficult for Lucas. He would wake up before Brooke would, he's kiss her cheek, then her belly, and then he'd leave the house to go to school. He didn't like being away from his girlfriend and their daughter. Sitting in each class, Lucas' mind would wander to his future plans, his life with Brooke and Baby Girl Scott. For Brooke, it was very much the same. Her school day was shorter than Lucas' and she would spend much of the day bored out of her skull. The nesting part of her pregnancy had begun, though, so she had rearranged and cleaned nearly every room in the Roe residence.

Basketball season had begun at THHS and neither Brooke nor Lucas was happy about this. For Lucas, it meant even less time with Brooke. And for Brooke, it meant no cheerleading, an activity she has loved since middle school. Today was the first game of the season and the first time Brooke would enter Tree Hill High in four months. Lucas told her she didn't have to go, but Brooke wanted to support him, plus the baby would kick happily every time her father mentioned basketball.

The gym was crowded, but Brooke hadn't even made it inside yet. Karen stood next to the teen as they slowly made their way from the parking lot to the school.

"Are you feeling okay?" Karen asks Brooke for the third time in as many minutes.

Brooke looks at the woman lovingly and says, "Yes, Karen. I'm fine. Nervous, but it's fine."

Brooke was very nervous about stepping foot into that gym again. Not even in the building yet, Brooke already felt a little exposed. She looked far different from the Brooke Davis of last basketball season. In place of the cheerleading uniform, Brooke wore a blue Ravens hoodie and black yoga pants, and in place of her small, taut tummy, there was a large, ominous bump. She didn't just look different, though. She _was_ different. All of her. She wasn't ashamed anymore. She was proud, and she would stand tall, no matter what…

"Alright, honey", Karen says as the pair reaches the gym doors, "You ready?"

Brooke smiles widely, dimples pressed deeply into each cheek, "You bet."

Brooke pulled the gym doors open and was met with a wave of noise and nostalgia. She walked inside and towards the bleachers. Brooke spots Haley and Peyton first, stretching her with her former squad. The two cheerleaders see Brooke and smile and wave. Brooke smiles and waves back and then her eyes scan the court for Lucas. She walks with Karen to seats right behind the bench, and sits down, finally spotting her boyfriend. He smiles widely and begins to jog over to Brooke.

"Hey you", Lucas says once he reaches Brooke, placing a kiss on her lips softly.

"You should keep warming up, Luke", replies Brooke.

Lucas places his hand on Brooke's belly and then looks up at her and says, "But I wanted to say hi to my girls."

The baby kicks under his hand and Brooke laughs, "We say hello back. Now, go win your first game. For us."

* * *

Please review and let me know what you think about the start of the end of this trilogy. Oh, and I know my tense switches are really bad. I'm trying to work on that. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Thank you very much for the reviews on the first chapter. I've really appreciated my loyal reviewers who have stayed with this trilogy throughout its duration. I hope you all continue to read and enjoy.

* * *

"Ravens! Ravens! Ravens!" The crowd in the high school gym was chanting and stomping their feet on the bleacher floor. The Ravens were winning 42-21 and there was 24 seconds left on the clock. Lucas and Nathan were both playing a great game and Lucas was energized by the presence of his girlfriend. The basketball was being passed back and forth now, the Ravens holding onto the ball as long as they can. With one final pass to Lucas, the blond boy throws the ball to the hoop and sinks a three-pointer. The buzzer blares loudly and the crowd returns to their feet, smiling and screaming. Lucas turns his attention to where Brooke is sitting, but he runs over to the bleachers when he notices his very pregnant girlfriend is no longer sitting there. Karen walks down the bleacher steps when she spots her son. 

"Great game, hon", she says.

"Where's Brooke?"

"She couldn't sit anymore, so she decided to walk up and down the hallways. She's fine, Lucas", Karen assures her son.

"Are you sure?" Lucas asks, already heading for the door leading to the maze of hallways.

"Yes. Go change and I'll go get her."

"No, no. I'll get her."

Karen sighs and lets the boy run after Brooke.

It doesn't take long for Lucas to find Brooke. She's leaning against a row of lockers, her hands running gently over her stomach, her eyes closed.

"Brooke!" Lucas calls from the end of the hallway. He jogs to her, worry exploding in his body.

The pregnant teen opens her eyes and turns to face her boyfriend, "Hey you", she says.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I couldn't sit anymore. I'm sorry I left."

"Don't worry about it. I'm only concerned about you. Let's go home", Lucas says, grabbing Brooke's hand.

"No. It's the first game of the season. Let's go to the café. Haley and Nathan, too."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I'm craving pie anyway", Brooke says, smiling slyly.

"Pie it is then. Anything for you and my baby girl."

"You're going to be a great father", Brooke remarks randomly as she puts Lucas' hand on her belly, "I don't think anyone would believe me, but I'm going to miss being pregnant."

"I'm going to miss you being pregnant, too."

Brooke laughs, "You're just going to miss my boobs".

* * *

Brooke and Lucas return to the gym hand in hand, and as Lucas runs to the locker room, Brooke walks over to the bleachers where Haley is waiting with Nathan. 

"Hey guys", Brooke says as she leans back slowly to sit next to the married couple.

"Hey Tigger. Where'd you disappear to?" Haley asks.

"Just the hallway. I needed to move around", answers Brooke.

"I'm surprised you came at all, Davis. You could pop at any minute", Nathan comments.

Brooke smiles at his remark. Nathan had a turn around very quickly after Brooke and Lucas announced their news. Lucas' brother has become very protective of his pregnant friend over the last few months as Brooke's pregnancy wore on and began wearing on her.

"Not any minute", Brooke corrects him. "A few more weeks. Scary, isn't it?"

"You'll be fine", Haley reassures her.

Brooke had hidden her fears and insecurities about being a mother. Beyond the obvious fact that she was seventeen and still in high school, she was afraid that she'd become her parents. Brooke has basically parented herself for many years, and she was terrified that she'd become as heartless and uninvolved as her own mother. Brooke was going to work her hardest to make sure her daughter would not turn into who Brooke has been. Still, the teen feared it might be inevitable.

"Yeah, well…you guys want to hit up Karen's?" Brooke asks.

"You need pie again?"

"Stop teasing me, Nate!"

"Stop teasing my girl, Nate", Lucas says as he walks up to the trio.

"Whatever", Nathan remarks as everyone stands up to leave the gym. Lucas and Nathan walk ahead of the girls, knowing Brooke would be a bit slower. She had started waddling once she hit 28 weeks and she hated it. It slowed her down considerably and looked ridiculous.

"Are you okay, Brooke?" Haley asks hesitantly.

Brooke sighs, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Maybe because you're eight months pregnant?"

"I'm fine, tutor-wife."

"Are you in pain?"

"Sometimes. I'm just like, achy. Uncomfortable."

"It'll be over soon", Haley says.

Brooke turns her head to the side and sighs. She doesn't want this to be over. Despite the discomfort, she had enjoyed the last few months; her new body and who this pregnancy had turned her into. And the end of this pregnancy only meant that she'd actually have her daughter and she had no clue what to do then.

Upon turning back to Haley, she looks her friend in the eye and frowns, "I'm scared, Hales."

"Of what? Childbirth? Because all women do it, like even in ancient times. Without medicine and they survived…" Haley rambles.

"It's not that", Brooke interrupts, "I mean, yeah- childbirth scares me, but that's not what I'm talking about."

"What is it, then?"

The two walk through the parking lot, but Haley stops Brooke and grabs her hand.

"I'm going to be a horrible mother", admits Brooke. She hadn't really said that sentence out loud this entire pregnancy, and it felt like a great weight off her shoulders to finally admit this nagging insecurity.

"Brooke, that's not true."

"I don't want to be a horrible mother."

"You won't be a horrible mother. You already love this baby", Haley says as she puts her hand on Brooke's enlarged belly, "and she's not even born yet. Plus, you have Nathan and I. And Lucas, obviously."

Brooke laughs through tears and puts her own hand on top of Haley's. The baby kicks against Haley's hand and the teen quickly lets go, a shocked look on her face as she looks Brooke in the eye.

"She won't stop kicking me", Brooke complains.

"Wow, that's incredible."

"For you, maybe. It hurts me. She's dropping, so her head is like, pressing on my bladder and her feet keep kicking my chest. It's not fun."

"I bet…"

Brooke and Haley smile reassuringly at each other and then fall into a comfortable silence. Brooke turns her head when she hears a car door open.

"The pie isn't going to come to you, Brooke!" Nathan yells.

Brooke laughs a hearty laugh and walks slowly to the car, one hand on her stomach, the other held tightly within Haley's.

* * *

**This chapter was a bit of a filler, but I wanted to start moving it along. The next chapter will jump just a few weeks into the future so I can start on the birthing process. After all, this story will only be 5 chapters long, just like the others. Please review, darlings!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** I really don't like this chapter all that much, but I needed to move the story along and so this is what you get. Please review and let me know what you think.

* * *

She was convinced she would give birth alone. She didn't know why, but Brooke was convinced she'd be alone when her daughter entered the world. And then there were the nightmares. She's had five in as many nights and they all had to do with giving birth alone. Lucas kept telling her that she was crazy, that she'd give birth in a hospital like everyone else. But Brooke didn't buy any of it. After nightmare #6, where Brooke goes into labor in the high school gym, she decides to just wake herself up and make a mug of hot cocoa. The time was 1:30AM and Lucas was sleeping soundly next to her, of course. Her 35 weeks pregnant belly made it difficult to get out of bed, but after a few minutes, Brooke is finally up and walking to the kitchen. She narrows her eyebrows as she gets closer, noting that the lights are on. Upon walking into the room, she finds Karen sitting at the table over a mug of steaming coffee.

"What are you doing up?" Brooke asks the older woman.

Karen picks her head up and smiles at the teen, "I've had some trouble sleeping lately. Why are you up, Brooke? You should be enjoying the quiet time while it lasts."

Brooke smiles, knowing this was the truth. But the nightmares were so bad, she'd rather not sleep lately at all. At least then she'd be getting used to the lack of sleep. "Did you ever have nightmares when you were pregnant with Lucas?" Brooke asks as she sits across from Karen at the kitchen table.

"Sometimes. Why? Are you having nightmares?"

Brooke nods as she rests her hands on top of her large belly, "Yeah, constantly. Earlier in the pregnancy, the nightmares were about the baby dying. Now they're about giving birth alone. I can barely sleep anymore." Tears are threatening to fall, hormones again, but Brooke quickly wipes them away and smiles haphazardly.

"Oh, honey…"

"And Lucas thinks I'm nuts now."

"No, he doesn't", Karen assures the girl as she reaches over the table and offers Brooke her hand, "I'm sure everything will be fine. Every new mother has these nightmares and insecurities."

Brooke sniffles and nods her head slowly, "I know."

"You have me and Lucas, and your friends. We'll help you."

"I'm sorry", the teenager blurts out unexpectedly.

"For what, Brooke?"

"For all of this", she responds, gesturing to her surrounding and especially her belly, "none of this is fair to you."

"It's not fair to you either, Brooke. But you got pregnant and you're taking responsibility. Plus, I've been in your shoes before, except my parents didn't support me. I'm going to support you, Brooke."

Brooke drops her head down shamefully and takes a deep breath, the baby deciding in that moment to kick her in the ribs. After a beat, Brooke lifts her head up and bites her bottom lips, "Thanks."

"You have your last appointment tomorrow, don't you?" Karen asks as she stands up and puts her mug in the sink.

"Yeah", Brooke responds quietly.

"Are you ready to not be pregnant anymore?"

"Actually, no. I like being pregnant. Plus, if she stays in here, I don't have to worry about screwing up as a mother", Brooke says casually as she slowly gets up off of her chair.

"You won't screw up, Brooke. That's something I can promise you."

"Don't make promises, Karen. I'm going to go to bed. Thanks for listening." The teenager totters out of the kitchen and back to her bedroom. The soon-to-be grandmother is left in the kitchen, shell-shocked by what Brooke had just said. She had been very worried about the girl lately, how mopey she'd become the last couple of weeks. But Karen knew that Brooke's confidence would grow once her daughter was placed in her arms.

* * *

The next morning, Brooke was up bright and early, having tossed and turned all night while Lucas slept happily next to her. By 7 in the morning, Brooke was growing bored and irritated so she decides to wake up her boyfriend.

"Lucas!" she yells from the bedroom doorway, "Yo, Lucas. Wake up."

Lucas' eyes flutter open and then he covers them, unaccustomed to the light. "What's wrong?" he asks, jumping out of bed.

"Nothing", Brooke laughs, walking to Lucas and handing him a mug of coffee, "Are you going to be this jumpy for the next month?"

"Probably", the boy admits.

Brooke rolls her eyes at the soon-to-be father and grunts, "Great", she says sarcastically.

"Why are you awake, anyway? And why did you wake me up?"

"I can't sleep anymore. Those nightmares are driving me crazy. And I woke you up because it's not fair that you get to sleep and I'm up every 20 minutes."

"I'm sorry, Brooke."

"Don't worry about it. It only means you're going to wake up for the baby once she gets here", Brooke says, smiling and pecking Lucas on the lips.

"Right, that's fair."

Brooke pauses and looks at Lucas harshly, "Hey, I'm the one who's had to carry this baby in my body. I'm the one who will go through labor. The least you can do, _Lucas_, is feed her when she cries at night", she says as she goes back to pulling clothes out of the drawers.

Lucas walks up to Brooke and hugs her from behind, resting his hands on her belly, "I'm sorry, babe."

The pregnant teen closes her eyes and leans back into Lucas, "I'm sorry, too. I'm just tired, so I'm a bit bitchy."

Lucas releases his arms and turns Brooke around to face him, "Why don't you lay down and rest and I'll wake you up before the appointment?"

"I don't want to have a nightmare, Luke…" Brooke whispers.

"You won't. Nightmares aren't real, Brooke."

"I know…"

"Just lie down and rest. If you fall asleep, I'll wake you up in three hours. Your appointment is at noon, right?"

Brooke nods and walks slowly to the bed. She crawls onto the soft surface and sinks her body comfortably into the mattress. She sighs and closes her eyes, falling asleep immediately.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Brooke has woken herself up and is puttering around her bedroom wearing leggings and a t-shirt. Her belly is very large and the girl simultaneously rubs it and talks to her daughter. Lucas walks in minutes later with a glass of orange juice and a handful of pills.

"Do you need help with anything?" he asks as he hands Brooke the orange juice and pills.

Brooke throws the pills in her mouth and takes a big gulp of the sweet juice, "No, I'm fine. I just need to get dressed and then we can go."

"Alright. My mom made breakfast, so come into the kitchen when you're ready."

Brooke smiles without teeth and turns around to grab clothes. Lucas remains standing there as the pregnant teen pulls her shirt over her head, leaving her top half completely naked. Lucas is mesmerized and he definitely looks it. Brooke turns to him and laughs.

"What's with you, Lucas?" she asks.

"I'm going to miss this", he says softly has he rests both of his hands on Brooke's belly.

"It's pretty incredible, isn't it? I can't believe how happy I am. You wouldn't think Brooke Davis would love getting fat, but this belly is just…I love it. Our daughter is in here, Luke…" she says, smiling proudly and putting her hand on top of Lucas'.

"Yes, she is. I love you, Brooke."

"I love you, too."

Brooke leans into Lucas and kisses him passionately, her big belly pushing against Lucas' toned torso. She giggles into his mouth when she feels the baby kick, "We love you, Luke…" she says as she rests her head on Lucas' chest. He kisses the top of her head and they both smile, content in that perfect moment.

* * *

Next chapter is the birth. Get excited! Ha. And don't forget to review! 


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Here is chapter 4 of "Umbrella", the second to last chapter. It's much longer than previous chapters, and might need a warning. It's sort of graphic, depending upon what you can handle. It's not too bad; it's just different from what I normally read on this website. Please read and review!

* * *

At 7:00AM, Lucas left for school. At 8:00AM, Karen left for the café. At 8:45AM, Brooke woke up to a rush of liquid escaping from her body. She'd done her research though and didn't want to just head to the hospital right away. She's read that sometimes labor didn't even start until days after the waters would break. By 36 weeks along, her nightmares had stopped and she stopped being afraid. At 38 weeks, she's prepared herself for any outcome. Except maybe the one she'd experience today.

Her water broke at a quarter to nine, but she didn't feel any contractions so she wasn't freaking out. She took all of the sheets off the bed and threw them into the laundry. After setting the washing machine, she slowly makes her way back to the bedroom and decides to take a shower. With the dial set to warm, Brooke climbs into the shower and lets the water cascade down her body. She slowly rubs her belly as her eyes start the close.

"You're about ready to come out, aren't you?" Brooke asks her belly. "Your daddy and I are ready to meet you, little love."

The water continues to pour over the girl and minutes later, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to stand, so she shuts off the water and steps out of the tub. She grabs a towel and wraps it around her. She walks out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where she sits down at the computer and opens the Internet. Brooke scrolls through her bookmarks and a few websites about labor and delivery pop up.

She peruses these websites and notes that a few of them discuss that going to the hospital immediately wasn't necessarily. A few said that first time mothers, like Brooke, tend to have long labors. Brooke wasn't afraid. She wasn't going to run to the hospital. She didn't feel like she needed to call Lucas. She was fine for now. She wanted to be comfortable, free to do what she wanted and that wouldn't be possible if she was strapped to a hospital bed for hours and hours.

At 9:50AM, she gets off the Internet and dresses in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. She tidies up and finishes her laundry, still not feeling any contractions or anything remotely close.

By 10:30, she decides to take a walk around the block. The late September air was still warm and the sky was beautifully clear. Brooke's strides are slow, but steady and she's breathing deeply. She still felt alright and asymptomatic, but she was starting to worry. She knew that walks were supposed to trigger or quicken labor and she doesn't want that to happen. So after one lap around the block, Brooke returns to her home and settles back onto her bed.

She falls into a fitful sleep and finally wakes up at 1:00PM to a painful cramp. It feels like someone is squeezing her stomach and then she realizes that she felt similar sensations last night. She slowly begins to sit up, back against the headboard and then she realizes that these pains are not cramps, they're contractions. Brooke continues to sit in bed for a few minutes, a bit dumbfounded, before deciding to go to the bathroom. As she pauses at the edge of the bed, another contraction hits her and she whips her head around to look at the alarm clock. 1:10PM. Her contractions are ten minutes apart. Lucas is still in school and Brooke figures that she'd be in labor for a while longer so getting Lucas home right away isn't necessary. She waddles towards the bathroom, shedding her t-shirt and sweatpants along the way. A bath would relax her and soothe the pain of the contractions.

She had done a ton of research, but she still wasn't sure how to tell if labor is speeding up or if delivery was imminent. She figures she has a few hours left before she's fully dilated. She'll call Lucas at 2, when school gets out. They'll go to the hospital then and Dr. Clark will deliver her daughter. She's satisfied with this plan and finally steps into the full tub. A contraction rakes her body as she stands naked in the tub and she takes a few deep breaths as it passes. After her body begins to relax again, Brooke settles into the warm water. She rubs her belly in wide circles and begins to daydream.

By 1:45PM, several more contractions have hit Brooke and she begins to worry. Screw waiting until 2, she's going to call Lucas now. Taking long, fluid breaths, she delicately stands up and reaches for a towel. She steps out of the bathroom and grabs her cell phone off of the computer desk. She dials the high school office as she paces the room.

"Tree Hill High School, this is Kathy speaking, how can I help you?" a secretary answers, much to the relief of the pregnant teen.

"Uh, hi Kathy. This is Brooke Davis. I need you to page Lucas Scott."

"And why is that, Ms. Davis?" she asks, not amused.

Brooke stops pacing and moans quietly, "I'm his pregnant girlfriend and I'm in labor."

"Alright. I'll have him paged. Are you at your home?"

"Yes", the teen responds quietly.

"I'll have him paged immediately", Kathy tells Brooke. "Good luck and congratulations."

"Thank you…" Brooke quickly flips the phone shut and looks at the clock. 2:00PM.

"Shit!" she exclaims, "This isn't supposed to be happening this fast." Brooke discards the soaked towel on the bed and opens a dresser drawer to take out a shirt. She throws the shirt on and then grips her stomach, another contraction five minutes after the last one.

Her water broke at 8:45AM and Brooke had stayed calm and composed. Even when her contractions began, she continued to stay calm. But now, her contractions were coming in quick succession and she's starting to panic. She paces the room, her deep breathing quickly switching over to near hyperventilation. She grabs her cell phone again and frantically dials 911.

"911, what is your emergency?" a young man asks upon picking up.

"Um, I'm not sure if you'd consider this an emergency, but uh, ow!" she pauses as pain courses through her body again, "I'm alone and I'm in labor."

"What is your name, miss?"

"Brooke Davis."

"How far apart are your contractions?"

"Like, 5 minutes. They only started about an hour ago."

"Is this your first child?"

"Yes", Brooke says as she stops pacing and walks back to the bathroom, slowly sitting on the floor against the tub.

"Some first deliveries go very fast."

"Ow, this really hurts", Brooke says as a low groan escapes her mouth.

"An ambulance is heading your way. Keep talking to me, Brooke", the man says calmly and kindly, "Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?"

Brooke squeezes her eyes shut and rubs her stomach, "it's a girl."

"Very exciting. Are you excited?"

"Mhmm…ugh, _ow_!"

"How far apart are your contractions now?"

"Three minutes? This is going too fast. It shouldn't go this fast", Brooke whines, panicking again.

"It's okay."

"It's not bad for the baby?"

"It's fine. Oftentimes, women have been in the early stages of labor and don't even realize it. That could have happened to you and you didn't realize you were in labor until it was active."

The teen clenches her jaw and grunts, trying to stifle a scream, "This hurts!"

"I know, Brooke. You need to stay calm as best you can."

"I kind of feel like I should push."

"Try not to. The EMTs will be with you soon. Try to breathe through the contractions."

"Agh, ow!!!" Brooke screams, beginning to lose all inhibitions. "How did this happen so fast?"

"Sometimes women just have very fast labors. It's okay", the 911 responder says again, trying to reassure the young girl. "Just try not to push."

"Okay, I'll try."

"The ambulance is right around the block. Can you hear the sirens?"

Brooke takes a deep breath and tries to put her attention on outside noises, "Yeah, I can hear them."

"Good, good."

"You're not going to hang up now, are you?"

"No. I'll stay with you until the EMTs enter your home."

"What's your name?" Brooke asks randomly.

"Michael."

"Thank you, Michael."

"You're welcome, Brooke."

"I can't believe I'm doing this unmedicated", Brooke says, smiling softly.

"You'll be fine. You'll forget the pain once you meet your daughter."

"That's hard to believe", Brooke notes, "Agh! Stupid labor."

Michael laughs quietly, "You're having a baby."

Brooke pauses and smiles, "Yeah, I am."

"The ambulance is outside, Brooke."

Outside the home, an ambulance pulls up to the curb and two EMTs run out. At the same time, Lucas pulls up in his truck, quickly cuts the engine, and runs like the wind towards his house. The two emergency technicians, a man and a woman, and Lucas all enter the house and soon find Brooke almost crouched at the side of the tub.

Lucas notes that his girlfriend looks oddly young and fragile and this frightens him. He runs into the bathroom and sits down next to his girlfriend who has just closed her cell phone.

"Brooke, what happened?!" he exclaims as he grabs the girl's hand.

"My water broke this morning and it all happened so fast", Brooke's face contorts with another contraction and she looks hopefully up at the EMTs who are setting up supplies, "I want to push", she says to them.

The male technician leans down in front of Brooke to examine her vaginal area, "Just let me see if you are fully dilated." He puts rubber gloves on and just as he reaches to examine Brooke's cervix, he finds something else. "The baby is about to crown, Brooke."

"What?!" Lucas and Brooke exclaim simultaneously.

"Is this the position you want to deliver in?" the EMT asks the laboring teen.

"Um, for now. Oh, shit. Agh!" Brooke moans loudly, "Can I push now?"

"Yes, you can", the man says.

Brooke bears down, chin to chest, and begins to push. The EMT keeps his hand where the baby begins to descend from the birth canal. After this one contraction, Brooke takes a breath and looks at Lucas.

"You're doing a great job, babe", Lucas tells her, running his hand through Brooke's dark hair, "Do you think the baby will have your hair or mine?"

"You can see for yourself right now, son", the EMT says.

Lucas looks back towards the man, confused, "What?"

"The top of the head is right here. Take a look."

The teenage boy look towards Brooke and then back to the EMT. He moves his attention down towards Brooke's vagina and is visibly amazed by what he sees, "Oh my g-d…"

Brooke lets out another moan and pushes hard again, "Oh, g-d…"

"Keep pushing, Brooke", the emergency technician says, "You're doing great."

"Ow! OW!" Brooke screams loudly.

Lucas is entranced by what he sees and he tightens his grip on Brooke's hand, "Her head is almost out, Brooke!"

Brooke throws her head back after the contraction is over and she reaches down between her legs and touches the slimy head of her daughter.

"She needs to come out now! This hurts!"

"Take a breath, Brooke", Andrew, the EMT says calmly, "a couple more pushes and her head will be out, okay?"

Brooke silently nods and begins to move her lower body off the floor and in a circular motion, "Oh, g-d…ah!" She groans and grunts, beginning to push with all her might.

"Good, good!" Andrew says.

Brooke lets out an almost primal moan and the baby's head emerges completely from Brooke's body.

"Her head is out!" Lucas exclaims, wild-eyed.

Brooke nods and moves her lower body again, almost uncontrollably. Andrew settles one hand on Brooke's knee to slow her down.

"Give a good push now and she'll slide out", Andrew says encouragingly.

All time seems to stand still for Brooke and Lucas. Their daughter is entering the world and everything else in the world doesn't matter.

Brooke bears down again, grunts and gives the deepest push she's ever given, throwing her body back against the wall of the tub.

"Brooke, look! Look!" Lucas says as he helps Brooke sit up. He holds her up and lets her look down between her legs. She keeps her eyes open as she pushes again and her baby slips out of her and into the EMT's waiting hands.

Her daughter has just been born.

Brooke gasps and tries to catch her breath, having just experienced the worst pain she's ever experienced. But Michael, the 911 operator, was right. That pain means nothing now. Her baby is here.

The female EMT now passes the clamp and scissors to Andrew and he clamps the baby's umbilical cord. "Dad? Want to cut the cord?"

Lucas nods wordlessly, in complete awe of what just happened. He leans down and cuts the cord, the connection between his daughter and her mother.

Andrew picks up the screaming neonate and passes her to Brooke. The new mother takes her daughter into her arms and holds on tightly, staring intently at the newborn.

"Hey beautiful, hey. I'm your mommy", Brooke's eyes leave her daughter and come to rest on Lucas, "We did it, Lucas."

"I barely did anything", he says as he begins to stroke the now quiet baby's head, "Thank you, Brooke."

"For what?"

"For having this baby. You're so beautiful and so is our little girl."

"We're a real family now."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** This is the 5th and last chapter of "Umbrella", and presumably (!!), the last chapter in the "Rain" trilogy. Thank you to everyone who has kept up with the story and reviewed it. I hope you've enjoyed the journey.

-xxx-

She's a spitfire. It's the perfect word to describe who Katherine Grace Scott has become in the almost four years since she made her dramatic entry on a bathroom floor.

Katie's favorite activity currently is spinning around the living room living a whirling dervish, finally collapsing on the couch with a loud and melodramatic sigh. It never failed to put a smile on her parents' faces. She _is _a spitfire.

Brooke and Lucas have made successful lives for themselves and their daughter. Upon graduating from high school, the couple and their child moved to Chapel Hill so the mother and father could attend college. The past three years at UNC have gone smoothly and their final year is fast approaching. Summer was Brooke and Lucas' favorite time of year because it meant they could spend all of their time with Katie.

"Katherine Grace!" a 21 year old Brooke calls out to her daughter when she hears a thump come from the living room. The mother walks into said room to find the tinier brunette sprawled out on the floor.

"I missed the couch!" the child announces as she stands up. Katie, as she is most frequently called, is a petite nearly-4 year old, with straight, light brown hair cut to her chin, dark blue eyes, and tiny dimples etched into her cheeks. She is an impeccable mixture of both Brooke and Lucas.

"I had a feeling", Brooke says as she leans down and picks her daughter up, walking outside to the front yard of their tiny home, "You still dizzy, babe?"

"Just a little", Katie explains as she lays her small hand on her forehead, "where's daddy?"

"He went to get us food. Don't you remember what we do on Friday afternoons?" the mother asks the girl as she sets her down and the pair sits on the porch swing.

"I 'member, mommy! We have a pic-a-nic!" Katie says enthusiastically, stuttering a bit on the larger words.

"That we do, little lady. Would you like to go inside and get our blanket?" Before Brooke can even finish her question, Katie is nodding frantically, running into the house. "No running!" the mother yells behind her, futily.

As Katie runs inside, Lucas pulls up in the driveway in the family sedan. He steps out of the car, grabbing several bags from the passenger's side. Brooke gets up off the swing and walks toward her boyfriend.

"You better have bought potato salad, buddy", the girl says teasingly.

Lucas pulls out a carton clearly marked "potato salad" and hands it to Brooke, "Hello to you, too."

"Hi", Brooke says, smiling and reaching up to kiss him.

The pair is interrupted by a loud and high-pitched "Eww!" coming from the porch.

"Katie Grace!" Lucas says excitedly as Katie runs into her father's arms and he scoops her up, "Did you miss me?"

"Lots and lots! I spun around and fell on the floor, daddy!"

Brooke and Lucas steal a glance at each other and laugh at the randomness of their child.

"Oh, no!" Lucas cries, "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. But I'm hungry! My tummy is grumbling loud! Listen!"

The father leans down and puts his ear to his daughter's stomach, "Oh my goodness! I think there's a lion in your tummy!"

Brooke rolls her eyes and grabs the bags of food from Lucas' hands, "Come on. Let's get rid of that lion."

The family walks back to the porch, with Lucas breaking off to sit on the front lawn and organize the food. Katie runs inside and grabs a blanket from the foyer, Brooke following close behind.

"Hey, roadrunner. Quit running or you're going to fall again", the older brunette says, grabbing her daughter in her arms and settling the tiny girl on her hips.

"Did daddy buy 'tato salad?" Katie asks.

"Yes, he did. Thank goodness!"

"Thank goodness!", the child repeats, "I love 'tato salad!"

Brooke laughs, "I know!" she says, matching her daughter's enthusiasm. Brooke puts the girl down and lets her run to her father. Brooke unfolds the blanket and lays it on the grass so the family of three can begin enjoying their picnic.

-xxx-

"Mommy?" Katie asks as she takes a bite of her turkey sandwich.

Brooke looks up from her salad and smiles, "What is it, girlie?"

"My birthday is soon! 'Member?"

"Believe me, I remember", the young woman says as she grabs her daughter and pulls the girl into her lap.

"I know what present I want", the child says, leaning back into her mother's chest.

Brooke runs her fingers slowly through her daughter's hair. She breathes in the smell of Katie's shampoo: citrus. It has become one of Brooke's favorite scents.

"You will not be getting a pony!" Brooke teases, tickling her daughter's sides.

"I don't wanna pony this year, mommy!" Katie says in between loud giggles, "I wanna little brother!"

Brooke lets go of Katie's sides and her eyes go straight to Lucas, who has dropped his own sandwich on the grass.

"You sure you don't want a pony?" the young father asks.

"No, daddy! A brother!" Katie exclaims again.

"I…I…" Brooke stutters, "Um, I don't think so, Katie. Not this year."

Katie looks up at her mother and frowns, "Why not?"

"Because I'm not ready to have another baby."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because is not an answer, mommy!" Katie says, with a serious look on her tiny face and her little hands on her little hips.

"Me and mommy are just too young for another baby", Lucas says, finally jumping in.

"Fine!" Katie yells as she stands up and walks away, stomping her little feet behind her.

Brooke looks at her boyfriend and sighs, "Do you want another baby?" she asks.

"Of course. But not right now. We both need to finish school and then get jobs."

"But Katie wants a brother…"

"She's three years old, Brooke. She wanted a Little Foot last year", Lucas says, as the couple smiles, recalling last year's birthday debacle after Katie's first viewing of _The Land Before Time_.

"Right", Brooke concedes, "So, in a few years?"

"Absolutely."

Brooke shifts in her seat, lifting her plastic fork and playing with her salad, "What happens if, uh, if…"

"You're not pregnant, are you?"

"I, um, I might be", Brooke confesses, still staring intently at her lettuce.

"Brooke…"

"I'm probably not", the young woman says, now finally looking up at her blond boyfriend, "my cycles have been irregular since Katherine was born…"

Lucas leans over the picnic blanket and takes Brooke's hand within his own, "We'll get a test, okay?" he says, a reassuring smile appears on his face.

The couple looks kindly and sympathetically at each other. They have made a mistake and they both know it. They are completely unprepared for another child.

"I'm sorry", Brooke blurts out without thinking.

"Don't apologize, Brooke."

"I'll run out and get a test in a few minutes."

"I'll watch Katie."

Brooke lets go of Lucas' hand and gets up, collecting pieces of food and trash, "No. I'll take her with me", she says, an empty tone in her voice.

"Brooke…"

Before the couple's interaction can become any more awkward, a bouncy Katie comes running out of the house.

"Mommy!" the child exclaims, skipping towards her parents.

"What's up, baby?" Brooke asks, leaning down to her daughter's level.

"I don't wanna brother anymore! Can I have a puppy?!"

-xxx-

I know it's short, but I felt as if that was a great place to end the story. It's also somewhat cliché. But the ending leaves it open, just in case I decide to add another chapter, or maybe just a companion one-shot instead of a full 5 chapter story like I've been doing. Please let me know what you think! And if you'd like me to add on with a one-shot or a story. Thanks again for reading!


End file.
